Petition asks Basil Eidenbenz to read prison screenplay
More than 2000 women sign petition demanding a firm commitment from Basil Eidenbenz (film producer) to read screenplay addressing Texas judicial system
Basil Eidenbenz – Talent Agents
– Actor, Producer – Denial (2016), The Favourite (2018), Victoria (2016), X Company (2015) – Identity Agency Group, Ikki El-Amriti –
Basil Eidenbenz & Adam Sandler’s film company targeted by Texas petition
Will Hollywood just rollover and let prisoner’s suffer?
EXCLUSIVE
The signatories, including state senators, professors of criminal justice, social workers, family, and inmates, call for a “firm commitment” to tackle the unjust prisons in Texas. The petition has also been signed by Beto O’Rourke, and Matthew McConaughey. These two signatories might face each other in the 2022 Texas governors election. Both have expressed interest in the job. The petitions arrived for Basil Eidenbenz at Identity Agency Group, Ikki El-Amriti last week.
In the open letter to Basil Eidenbenz, the 2080 women write that they are “heartbroken for first-time drug offenders many times addicts who have received extremely harsh sentences in Texas when rehabilitation has proven a cheaper and more effective solution.” The petition goes on to say their family and friends are often heartbroken for and looking for redemption and rehabilitation for the victimless drug crimes.”
The signatories, including attorneys, professors, politicians, family members, and inmates, call on Basil Eidenbenz for a ‘firm film commitment’ to tackle the issue of operating the Texas prison system for profit.
The petition came to light when women discovered the screenplay, a copy which was dontated to all 580 of the state’s prison and jail libraries. The existence of the petition surfaced on International Women’s Day. Women in Texas face extreme prejudice in Texas and often receive extremely harsh penalties for even a small amount of drugs, including marijuana. Marijuana is legal now in 21 states.
Inside prisons, the women are faced with such horrendous conditions… the petition demands that “filmmakers begin to take the issue seriously.” Also, the petition reminds that “even here in the USA in the 21st century citizens are not safe from government oppression.”
Actor, Producer, Basil Eidenbenz, has not responded to the petition. Nor has Identity Agency Group, Ikki El-Amriti responded with a comment.
The screenplay “Dumbass” was penned by writer and retired professor of political science Alan Nafzger.
The premise of the story is that, “Adam Sandler writes letters and saves numerous women from the monotony of prison life, and later when he gets into trouble with a drug cartel they return the favor by rescuing him.”
The film would be set in contemporary, Gatesville Texas. There are four women’s prisons located in Gatesville. And of course, Texas is famous for putting everyone in prison for a long sentences for little or no reason. The number of women in Texas prisons has tripled in the last ten years, as mass incarcerations have proven profitable to not only the state but also profitable for an array of business interests.
Writer Alan Nafzger has called on Governor Greg Abbott to, “end the prison industry.”
Recently, “Wheel of Fortune” host Pat Sajak spoke out against the Texas system and put a good word in for mercy and forgiveness out on social media. “How nice for those who have lived such exemplary lives that they can express glee when others have their lives ruined by a mistake, real or perceived,” Sajak tweeted last month.
The petition states, “Why don’t we have the ‘Adam Sandler’ character… sending letters to women in prison and being their friend and trying to help them adjust, giving them hope… and when they get out of prison he picks them up so they don’t have to ride the smelly bus back home… but his pickup truck is a junker, smoking and sputtering … worse than the bus. But his heart is in the right place… He’s the last “chivalrous” man on earth.”
Basil Eidenbenz has not commented on the script, thusfar. A statement is expected soon.
Professor Nafzger has made a short treatment of the project available online.
He has made the finished script available at for select filmmakers.
Jana Sandler of Happy Madison Productions has also expressed interest in the screenplay.
Basil Eidenbenz is a Actor, Producer known for Denial (2016), The Favourite (2018), Victoria (2016), X Company (2015) and is represented by Identity Agency Group, Ikki El-Amriti.
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Following real-life too closely will definitely lead the writer down a path where entire scenes will lack conflict – I guarantee it! Film characters don’t sound or act like real-life characters. They’ve been dramatized to create conflict, which creates emotional effect. Without conflict, the project won’t sell.
LACKS CONFLICT
The writer tries too hard to stick with the facts. Movies are meant to be dramatized and DO NOT stick to real-life facts because real-life is boring in comparison. In the film Crimson Tide, based on a true story (although disputed), the submarine captain and first officer were in direct conflict resulting in a near mutiny. This never happened in real-life and subsequent interviews with crew members revealed the captain and first officer were in total agreement and life-long best friends. However, they claim that a radio outage did nearly start a nuclear war.
TOO TRUE
· Either here or in the last part of the second act, the hero/ine will make a new, FINAL PLAN based on the new information and revelation of the second act climax
And it usually contains these elements:
3. The RESOLUTION and NEW WAY OF LIFE
2. The FINAL BATTLE itself